SS Lazio have confimed that their new manager will be Maurizio Sarri in a not-so-cryptic twitter post with a single cigarette emoji. Sarri has been linked with Lazio for the past few days after Simone Inzaghi left the role to join Italian champions Inter Milan.
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— S.S.Lazio (@OfficialSSLazio) June 9, 2021
This will be Sarri’s third club in the Serie-A after his breakthrough at Napoli and a solitary underwhelming season at Juventus on either side of his adventure at Chelsea. The 62-year-old is amongst football’s most enigmatic characters having never played at a high level and having spend the majority of his life as an accountant.
THE SERIE-A MANAGERIAL ROUNDABOUT
Maurizio Sarri’s appointment is the latest in a summer of change in Italy’s dugouts. Antonio Conte departed Inter Milan just days after winning the Serie-A title, and was replaced by Inzaghi. Then Gennaro Gattuso was sacked from Napoli only to be announced as Fiorentina manager a day later. Juventus joined in the party, bringing in former boss Massimilano Allegri to replace Andrea Prilo. Roma were the early worms having announced Jose Mourinho as the new manager even before the season had ended.
The appointment of Sarri only adds more intrigue to the 2021-22 Serie-A season. His Napoli side were stern challengers to a dominant Juventus even if they fell short at the final hurdle. Despite disappointing in the Champions League, Sarri did win the Scudetto with Juventus in his one season – something the esteemed Pirlo was unable to achieve.
SARRI AT LAZIO
Lazio finished sixth in the table in Italy last year – missing out on Champions League football again. Sarri will be looking to reverse this trend of coming close but failing at the Stadio Olimpico. He has an exciting squad at his disposal and the project may have higher aims than just a top four finish.
The cigarette-smoking manager with the droopy clothes is back in Italy and fans could not be more excited. This summer may just prove to be decisive for years to come in the Serie-A.